Forget Me Not
Synopsis "The child is Hope?!" This clip show opens with Xena learning that Gabrielle did not kill her daughter in early scenes from "Maternal Instincts." Other images from this show include Gabrielle killing Hope and then attempting to drink the poison herself. Upon the return to the present day, Gabrielle sits on a log, distraught, and when Joxer approaches she begins to cry. Joxer attempts to comfort her, to no avail. They are supposed to meet Xena at the Temple of Mnemosyne, and Gabrielle tells Joxer she has to rid herself of her painful memories. Gabrielle goes to the temple alone, and Xena is not there. A woman comes from the temple, blank and amnesiac, and Gabrielle decides to go in the temple. The guards warn her she will risk losing her memory of entire life. Gabrielle enters the temple. The priestess tells Gabrielle her memories became a part of the temple as soon as she walked in; they are now in a bowl of water. If the water is ever poured out, Gabrielle will lose all her memories. The priestess explains that there is a journey ahead, and at the end Gabrielle must decide if she will keep her memories or lose them. Outside the temple, Joxer tries to go in after Gabrielle, but can't get by the guards. He climbs a tree and peers in the temple, where Gabrielle is being prepared for her ordeal by the priestess and her attendents. Joxer falls out of the tree and enters the temple; Gabrielle's body lies prone on the floor. He grabs her up and takes her away, but the priestess warns him he only has an empty shell, not the woman he loves. In her memory land, Gabrielle, wrapped in a white toga, finds Ares acting as her guide. She doesn't trust him, accusing him of acting for his "own selfish reasons." His response is "aren't you?" Gabrielle moves forward to the River of Wailing. She wades in, and is engulfed with memories from "The Deliverer" and "When In Rome." When she emerges from the water she is coated with blood. She proceeds to the River of Woe, a river which "runs deep," Ares warns. Meanwhile, Joxer has the empty Gabrielle and is teaching her about herself by reading the scrolls to her. He decides to elaborate somewhat, however. No visual clips, just some mentions of scenes or show titles. Gabrielle in memory land finds an ice bridge across the River of Woe. It breaks and she falls in. She remembers things from "The Debt I & II". She climbs out of the water and Ares starts a fire for her. She tells Ares that this is the problem, but everything is okay now. She recalls more things from "The Debt II," specifically how she made up with Xena in the dungeon. She decides to go back through the River of Woe, but cannot. She is trapped in ice. She claws her way out. She tells Ares she doesn't know what to do. He tells her she can either stay where she is or die. Joxer continues to tell the empty Gabrielle about herself -- or rather, the things he would like her to believe. Like she is in love with him. And she likes the Joxer the Mighty Song. Gabrielle decides to move on the next river, which is on fire. Ares says the problem lies with Xena. Gabrielle says their problems were resolved in Illusia, which Solan created specifically for them (answered that question), in "The Bitter Suite" episode. The clips near the end where Gabrielle is chained on the slab and Xena is on the cross are shown. Gabrielle goes into the river of fire. She sees more scenes from "The Debt I", specifically the instance where Xena leaves her. Gabrielle asks Xena then: you owe someone so much that you would give up these last few years? And Xena's affirmative response. Gabrielle turns and sees Ares (which wasn't shown in the original "Debt"). Back in memory land, Gabrielle catches on fire. She goes through the river and falls to the ground, burning. Ares says she will die. Gabrielle resists and wills the fire out with her mind. She also realizes that "Ares" is really her conscious or guilt or whatever manifested as Ares. Gabrielle then remembers that she spoke with Ares, who offered her a chance to go to Chin to get even with Xena for leaving her, especially after Gabrielle had given up everything for Xena. And Gabrielle took Ares up on his offer. He sent her to Chin. Gabrielle tells the Ares in her memory land that she wanted to betray Xena. She hated her for loving someone else. She wanted her punished. And then her hatred and jealousy (!) almost destroyed her best friend. Then Gabrielle wills a staff into her hand and beat up the Ares she had been talking to. Now she has to decide what to do: pour out the water, or leave it and retain all her memories. Back in the real world, Joxer has determined that an empty Gabrielle isn't what he wants. He tells her that he's been lying to her, except for a story about her dancing naked with him in the rain. Gabrielle suddenly clips him on the nose and says that never happened; obviously she chose to return from memory land and it's the old Gabrielle. Xena appears out of nowhere, relieved that Gabrielle is back. Gabrielle says Xena knew she needed to go into the temple. Xena says yes. She had wondered how Gabrielle made it to Chin before she did, and thought Ares had a hand in it. As for the other- well, Gabrielle has nightmares and talks in her sleep. Xena tells Gabrielle she is very glad she opted to retain her memories. Gabrielle apologizes; Xena stops her and says it is all over. They hug. Memorable quotes Cast * Lucy Lawless as Xena * Renée O'Connor as Gabrielle * Kevin Smith as Ares * Ted Raimi as Joxer * Mark Webley as Guard * Jan Hellriegel as Priestess of Mnemosyne * Lana Garland as Young Girl with Lost Memory Background information and notes * This episode was specifically written in an effort to explain Gabrielle's miraculous arrival ahead of Xena in The Debt. Continuity and mistakes Disclaimer * Xena and Joxer were not forgotten during production of this motion picture. Category:Episodes Category:Season 3